


do not ask

by Thorinsmut



Series: Free Orcs AU [9]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Bittersweet, Free Orcs, Gen, cross-posted from tumblr, imported as tumblr takes a swan dive, the price of freedom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-23
Updated: 2014-03-23
Packaged: 2019-09-12 08:20:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16869463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thorinsmut/pseuds/Thorinsmut
Summary: Do not ask me of Golb





	do not ask

Do not ask me of Golb.

.

Do not ask about her brief childhood, small but ferocious, and _always_ starving.

Do not ask about the mother she can barely remember, who’s name she cannot recall.

Do not ask about the children she bore in slavery, without choice, when she was hardly more than a child herself. The children she lost – families torn to shreds with the orders to march.

Do not ask about the battles she was thrown into, starving and exhausted, half trained and half armed.

Do not ask how she learned to survive.

Do not ask about how she treasured the forbidden knowledge of how to _prevent_ bearing children, whispered from ear to ear.

Do not ask how those who were caught at it were punished.

Do not ask if _she_ was caught. She is still alive. She was too sly, too clever, to wary.

Do not ask if she still sings the names of her lost children to the uncaring stars.

Do not ask why she broke away the at the first whisper of rebellion, of _freedom_. Do not ask how long and dangerous the road to join the free Orcs was. Do not ask if she ever regretted taking it.

Do not ask about the battles she fought against her enslaved brothers and sisters, against those who could be her own children – her _grand_ children. Do not ask how many battles there were, over how many years. Do not ask why she was always at the front lines.

Do not ask if she expected to survive.

.

Do not ask of the children of her old age, the children she bore by _choice_ in the freedom of Gundabad.

Do not ask how she treasured them.

Do not ask if she taught them how far they had come, and how far they had to go still.

Do not ask if she was _happy_ when she died free, surrounded by her children. Do not ask if the tears she wept were of joy as she held their hands, and then slipped quietly from the world.

.

Do not ask me of Golb.

.


End file.
